David Ortiz is lone Red Sox player voted to AL All-Star roster

Scott Lauber Sunday, July 01, 2012

SEATTLE -- Remember the days when the Red Sox duked it out with the Yankees for the most spots on the AL All-Star roster.

Not anymore.

For the first time since 2001, the Sox had only one player voted into the All-Star Game. As expected, David Ortiz was voted via fan balloting as the American League's starting designated hitter. It marks the eighth time he has been picked to play in the midseason showcase.

But he won't have company July 10 in Kansas City unless one of his teammates is chosen as an injury replacement.

"This is my first time going to the All-Star Game by myself. Hopefully it doesn't turn out boring," said Ortiz (Matt Stone photo, right). "I always like to hang out with my boys. Now I'm going to carry a lot of stuff coming back from the All-Star Game. When we go as a group, everybody gets a piece of it. Now I've got to carry all the stuff. Another challenge for Papi."

Ortiz has carried the Red Sox for most of the season. Entering today's series finale at Safeco Field, he's batting .305 and slugging .613 with 24 doubles, 21 homers, 53 RBI and a .393 on-base percentage. He's also one home run shy of reaching 400 for his career.

"I'm happy that we have David," manager Bobby Valentine said. "He's played like an All-Star. He got selected to that team. It's fitting. Maybe it's fitting he's the only All-Star because he's played so consistently well the entire time that he could get the notice, get the spotlight."

Jarrod Saltalamacchia had a chance to make the All-Star team, but he was bypassed in voting by players and AL All-Star manager Ron Washington of the Texas Rangers. Texas catcher Mike Napoli was voted to start in the fan balloting, while Baltimore's Matt Wieters and Minnesota's Joe Mauer were named as reserves.

Second baseman Dustin Pedroia's chances of making the All-Star team were sabotaged by a right thumb injury that dropped him in a deep slump last month and has left his average at .263 with a .716 OPS entering play today. Center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury, the runner-up in the AL MVP voting last season, hasn't played since April 13 because of a partially dislocated right shoulder.

"You don't see this ball club having just one player going," Ortiz said. "But it's been a lot of injuries and a lot of stuff that we've been dealing with. That's a major reason why. Because we have a lot of All-Star players that through the years are always going to be representing this ball club. We always go as a group. Hopefully this is the last time one player is going."

Unlike past seasons, Ortiz won't compete in the All-Star Home Run Derby. He declined the invitation, citing a desire to rest his body on the night before the All-Star Game.

"I'm going to be like the Godfather now. I'm just going to sit and watch," Ortiz said. "I got worn out last year. I got so tired. And I think it caught up with me later on during the season. I ran out of gas. It was the first time I felt like I was really tired. I guess age is catching up with Papi. I need to save my energy for the second half now."